Private employment agencies in EHoA establish a Regional confederation to advance fair recruitment

MOMBASA (ILO News) – From 31 August to 2 September 2026, private employment agencies from six countries across East and Horn of Africa have established a regional confederation to promote fair recruitment practices and strengthen the protection of migrant workers. The Confederation of the East and Horn of Africa Private Employment Agencies were established during a three-day meeting held in Mombasa, Kenya, from 31 August to 2 September 2026. The meeting was organized by the Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK), with technical and financial support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) through the UK FCDO-funded Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme. The meeting brought together 41 participants, including 12 women, representing national employers' organizations and private employment agencies from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Somalia. National Employment Authority of Kenya and regional institutions, including the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), also participated.

Recruitment is a critical stage in the migration cycle and in many parts of the world, including private employment agencies play an important role in connecting workers with employment opportunities. When private employment agencies operate in accordance with national legislation and international labour standards, they can contribute to decent work and more effective labour market matching. However, recruitment is also a stage at which migrant workers can be particularly vulnerable to deception, debt bondage, contract substitution, forced labour and trafficking in persons. Across the region, the recruitment sector remains fragmented, with varying regulatory frameworks and limited opportunities for cooperation, peer learning, and the development of common fair recruitment standards. The establishment of the new Confederation responds to a recommendation made at the Fourth Labour Migration Advisory Group meeting, held in Juba in January 2026. This regional Confederation aim to support regional and global efforts to advance fair and ethical recruitment, including the African Union Fair and Ethical Recruitment Strategy, the IGAD Regional Labour Migration Policy Framework, ILO Convention No. 181 on Private Employment Agencies and ILO Operational Guideline on Fair Recruitment.

© ILO BRMM

© ILO BRMM

This confederation creates space to share good practices, address common challenges and promote fair recruitment

Francis Wahome, Chairman, Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya

Opening the meeting, Mr. Francis Wahome, Chairman of the Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK), welcomed delegates and set out what the new Confederation could mean for the region's recruitment sector. He explained that the Confederation can provide a stronger collective voice for private employment agencies, while creating space to share good practices, address common challenges and promote fair recruitment across East and the Horn of Africa. He stressed that for the initiative to succeed, the ideas shared, the relationships built, and the commitments made over the three days would need to translate into meaningful action beyond the meeting room, encouraging delegates to speak openly, learn from one another, and build trust, cooperation, and unity across the region.

Over the three-day meeting, participants worked on the institutional and strategic foundations of the new Confederation. On the first day, delegates reached consensus on the rationale for establishing a regional confederation and defined its vision, mission, strategic priorities and guiding principles. These included a shared commitment to gender-responsiveness and inclusivity. The second day focused on the Confederation’s governance framework. Participants reviewed and refined the draft Constitution, By-laws and Memorandum of Establishment (MoE). They also examined the draft Code of Conduct, including provisions on legal compliance and recruitment fees, equality and worker protection, cooperation and implementation. The documents are expected to be finalized and formally adopted at the Confederation’s first General Assembly, scheduled for December 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. On the final day, participants identified practical steps for operationalizing the Confederation, including membership compliance, legal and institutional development, strategic partnerships and financial sustainability.

Representatives of the participating countries also elected the Confederation’s Executive Council and alternates. The founding members formally signed the Memorandum of Establishment (MoE) and selected Nairobi, Kenya, as the seat of the Confederation.

The Confederation is expected to serve as a regional platform for licensed and compliant private employment agencies committed to promoting fair recruitment. It will provide agencies with a collective voice and strengthen their participation in policy dialogue and relevant national, regional and international forums. It will also promote cooperation among private employment agencies. Through these efforts, the Confederation aims to contribute to safe, orderly, regular and rights-based labour migration across East and Horn of Africa, while strengthening protections for migrant workers throughout the recruitment and migration process.